Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

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Chapter 10: Desperate Chase in the Forest

Sesshomaru considered himself a reasonable man.

He wasn't fool enough not to notice the fear he inspired in others nor was he so virtuous that he didn't take advantage of that fear. He was merciless when provoked and could hold a grudge way past when it should have been dead and buried. More often then not, what others wanted meant little to nothing to him and he wasn't above using others to get what he wanted. And he in no way believed in giving second chances. So, it wasn't as if he didn't realize his bad qualities and his not-so-nice traits.

However, he did consider himself a reasonable man. He forgave others when they earned it and worked for it and he did his best by those who were sworn to him. He never did things unnecessarily and he listened to each side of an argument before passing judgment.

And, because he was so reasonable, he didn't consider any of the three rules he set for Rin to be wrong or unreasonable. So, as he stood at his window and he saw her run to the front gate, throw it open, and run out he growled in frustration and turned from the window.

Sesshomaru's room was elegant an immaculate. It was designed and suitable for one of his station. The empty, cold fireplace along the right wall was carved of white marble and simple but lovely. His window was nearly four times his height that also doubled as a door to the balcony. Sesshomaru had one of the few rooms with one. On the balcony was a very old fashioned telescope that he used to enjoy examining the heavens with but had long since rusted to uselessness.

His room was done in dark mahogany wood and gentle creams. Sesshomaru himself was dressed for bed, which was exactly where he was heading. He had never really liked elaborate clothing, especially when he slept.

He had billowing white sleep pants and a simple robe that was easily removed covering his bare chest. A chest that supported a single, ugly scar on his left shoulder about the size of his fist.

He didn't care that Rin had left. He had set forth the rules of his house and disobeying them resulted in punishment. In this case, the punishment would be dealt by the creatures of the forest itself. Kagome would be unbearable after this, and would probably blame him, but he really didn't care. If Rin chose to disobey then she would accept the results of it.

However, as he was reaching for the tie on his robe, his door burst open.

He glared at the intruder but Ayame ran forward, her face scared and not of him.

"My lord-"

"I know." he growled unhappily. "I saw her. Let her be."

"No, you don't-"

"No?" he growled and Ayame trembled slightly.

"You don't understand." She continued, determined. "Kouga escaped! He's chasing her, the only choice she had was to-"

"What?" his fists clenched without his permission. "Why didn't you stop her? Or him for that matter?"

"I tried." Ayame cried as tears of helplessness formed in her eyes. "But he's so much stronger than me now. I told Rin to run while I held him back but he was between her and the castle and the only way out she had was the forest. He threw me off after a minute and chased after her."

Sesshomaru looked closer and saw that Ayame had freshly formed bruises appearing on her arms and even on her face. She had, indeed, attempted to stop him.

"Where are the others?" he asked quickly.

"I haven't seen them." she wrung her hands helplessly.

"Find them!" he growled. "Now!"

Ayame turned and fled from the room and Sesshomaru turned to his window and threw them open with more force then he had intended and the glass in them shattered as they crashed against the stone wall.

He ran to the edge and jumped over in one graceful move.

As he fell, the wind whipping his hair and forcing his robe open, all he could think of was Rin. Why hadn't he damn girl screamed or something? Not that his sensitive ears enjoyed hearing screams but things like this could easily be avoided if she had simply yelled or something. Even now he heard no sound of her from the forest. That was probably a good thing seeing as crying out now would only result in unwanted attention.

Damn that girl!

XxXxXxX

Rin struggled not to breath hard but it was very difficult. Running and not taking deep breaths was painful and brought tears to her eyes. Tears that hampered her already bad vision as any light provided by the moon and stars was eclipsed by the large leafy trees all around her.

However, she had no other choice. She wasn't sure how well a man who looked half wolf could scent his pray but she knew how well her demon housemates could hear and see. So she took careful steps, as dainty as her well trained feet could handle. Never before had she thanked her poise and grace instructors for their repetitive and often annoying lessons but she did now. She would had to remember to thank them in her unsent letters if she made it out of this situation alive.

The prospect of which was looking more and more unlikely.

She could hear Kouga's maniacal laughing echoing in the forest around her, punctuated now and them by howls that were familiar and far more terrifying then they had been in the safety of the castle.

She knew running into this forest would be a bad idea, however she had no other choice. She was trying to double back, run in a big circle so to speak, and make her way back to the palace but she was sure she was just getting more and more lost. And, of course, memories of her father's tale about that thing that had followed him in here just made it worse. She wanted to call out for help but knew better.

Rin had never felt so helpless as she did now.

She was climbing over a fallen log when she heard the fallen leaves shift around on her right.

She turned and looked into the dark underbrush. She saw nothing but, after a moment, she caught a low growl on the wind.

Instinct, more than anything, told her not to run as she backed away slowly.

There was more rustling behind her, then to her immediate right as one, two more growls joined the first.

An image of the wolves crowded at the castle gate flashed in her mind as her body trembled.

Her fears were confirmed when one came out of the bushes in front of her, crouched low, snarling and growling with hunger in its glowing yellow eyes. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw more leave the cover of the forest as they circled her, surrounded her.

She didn't care that she was breathing hard now, nor could she stop herself even if she wanted. Her heart was nearly bursting forth from her chest as it beat almost in defiance of these things that wanted to kill her.

Slowly, ever so slowly, she reached down and picked up some leaves and dirt in her hand.

The wolves growled but didn't attack. They were saving her for their master, she could practically see it in on their canine faces.

However, Rin had no intention of becoming anyone's meal. She licked her lips in anticipation, readied her already tired muscles and sent up a quick prayer.

And, again, she through something into the face of a hungry wolf.

It yipped in pain as the dirt got in its eyes but Rin spared it no pity as she jumped over it and ran from the others that immediately restarted the chase.

From behind her, she heard many voices raise in one long howl.

She was panting heavily now as she tore through the bushes and pushed past the low tree branches. No longer did she care if she was loud. She had already been found. All that was left now was the chase and, though she didn't want to admit it, the inevitable catch.

But, no matter how sure she was of her fate, she still refused to just let them win.

When a low, thin tree branch got in her way, she pushed it back as far as it would go as she ran past and released it without apology. She was rewarded with a sharp 'thwack' and a pained yip.

"Rin."

She gasped when Kouga appeared suddenly at her side, and evil smirk on his face. "Can you please stop hurting my wolves, darling?"

She cried out and made a sharp turn that sent a jolt of pain up her ankle. But she ignored it.

"Oh, Ri-i-in." he called out playfully and Rin fought back tears of fear. He was playing with her, this chase was a game to him and an easy game at that.

Despite knowing that, or maybe because, she forced her tired legs to run faster. Her muscles screamed in protest at the sudden and continued abuse but her mind refused to listen. Brambles and thorns tore at her clothes and scratched at her skin but she refused to cringe or slow from the pain.

She cried out when a fallen branch tripped her and became entangled in her legs. She fell hard but before she could scramble to her feet and wolf was suddenly before her. From the dirt coating its face, she was pretty sure she knew which one it was.

Desperate, terrified, she grabbed the branch that had tripped her and swung it as hard as she could manage as the wolf.

It jumped and dodged it and she used to the moment to get back up and continue to run, the branch still tight in her fists.

She skidded to a stop, the same ankle burning with a sharp and sickening pain. Her path became blocked but a series of trees and vines that had grown too close together.

She turned and swung without looking and caught a wolf that had jumped in mid air. It yelled in pain as it flew to the side.

By the time it landed, Kouga was there, anger in his eyes. "Now, Rin. I asked you nicely to stop hurting my wolves."

Rin raised her branch, not noticing that she was trembling or that tears were coursing down her face.

"Kouga, please." she pleaded softly. "Stop this."

"I might have, dear." he smiled and his fangs glinted, were they bigger now or had Rin just noticed how completely scary they were. "But you hurt my wolves, and they're crying out for blood now."

"This isn't you." she panted. "You're kind, you're nice. What happened to you?"

"I suddenly got this really big craving for human flesh." Kouga licked his lips as he looked her up and down. She had a feeling that the blood that leaked from the many tiny scratches on her body were only increasing his hunger.

"Boys." he looked affectionately at his wolves. "Are you hungry?"

The wolves growled and ducked low, getting ready to pounce as Kouga looked back at her, amused at her fear.

"Kouga." Rin tried again. "Please, Kouga."

He hesitated and she saw a small flicker in his eyes. Anguish, a little self hatred as his wolves all turned their eyes to him in anticipation of his order.
"Rin?" he said her name almost shamefully. "Rin, forgive me. I-"

A wolf barked sharply and the feelings vanished from his eyes only to be replaced by that dark amusement.

"Forgive me, but I just don't care." he smiled.

"Boys." his wolves turned their hungry eyes back to her and Rin's grip tightened on her branch. If she was going down she was going down swinging.

"Attack." he commanded and his wolves rushed forward, jaws open.

Rin swung and hit the first one to approach. But a second leaped for his throat before she could make another swing.

She closed her eyes, prayed it would end quickly, and thought for sure that the yip that pierced the night was hers.

But there was no pain and, when her eyes opened again, she saw no wolf lunging or snapping at her.

Instead, she saw Sesshomaru, only half dressed, throwing a limp and lifeless wolf away.

"Kouga." he growled as he placed himself in front of Rin. He was surrounded and half dressed and still looked regal and powerful.

"Sesshomaru, my lord." Kouga mocked. "Come to protect your bitch, have you?"

Rin's lost control of her knees and dropped to the forest floor as her muscles seemed to all deflate.

"Sesshomaru…" she whispered in relief but he didn't turn to her.

"How did you escape?" Sesshomaru asked calmly though Rin saw his muscles bunched up and tight in his back. There was also a scar on his left shoulder, big and round and ugly. What had scarred him, she couldn't help but wonder but the question was soon lost as her mind remembered where she was.

"Just broke out." Kouga laughed. "It wasn't hard, especially since I already did it once."

"You are banned from my castle." Sesshomaru said. "You are not permitted ever to return. Do you understand?"

"You know, I always thought it would hurt to hear those words myself." Kouga snarled at his former master. "But, it's actually kind of relieving, you know?"

"Leave this place now and I let you live." Sesshomaru continued as if Kouga hadn't spoken.

"Why should I?" he asked as more wolves emerged from the forest. "There are so many of us, and only one of you."

"Your mind has lost its good judgment." Sesshomaru said carelessly. "Leave now, you will not get a second chance."

Kouga smirked, not scared at all of Sesshomaru's threats. "Boys? Attack."

The wolves lunged again, fearless.

Sesshomaru, however, was much stronger than even a large pack of wolves.

Rin watched speechlessly as he swiped his arm quickly to the side and two wolves fell, dead, to the ground their underbellies stained red from their own blood.

Kouga howled in anger at the loss and the sound reverberated deep in Rin's bones.

All she could do was tremble as the chase caught up to her body and Sesshomaru dealt neatly with the wolves.

He was graceful as he attacked and he barely moved.

Once or twice a wolf would get close and Rin was sure that its snapping jaws would close on Sesshomaru's skin but he would make a barely perceptible move and the wolf would be thrown back.

When half the pack lay lifeless on the ground, Kouga growled in anger. "Retreat!" he snapped to his wolves. Sesshomaru just watched as he and the pack vanished into the undergrowth.

After a moment of silence, he turned to Rin and looked down at her.

"Are you hurt?" he asked emotionlessly.

Rin just blinked as the meaning of the words refused to register in her brain.
He kneeled down and looked her over. Her body was covered in tiny scratches but nothing too serious. Her knees and hands were scrapped raw and her legs were covered in angry black bruises. One ankle was swollen slightly, probably sprained. She probably didn't feel it yet but would undoubtedly if she tried to walk on it again.

Without hesitation, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. He stood quickly and Rin threw her arms around his neck in surprise as he held her close to him.

His chest was warm, she thought dimly as he began walking through the woods. Her face was parallel with his scar and she spent her time examining it as her face flushed with embarrassment.

She was pressed against a man's naked chest! She had never even been held by a man before but here she was, being carried by one as if she weighed nothing at all. He didn't even seem to care that he was half naked and that she was holding onto him.

So she stared at the scar and told her racing heart to calm down.

"You were wrong to leave the palace." Sesshomaru said at last and the vibrations in his broad chest did funny things to Rin's belly.

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

"You should have called for me." he continued. "You were ordered never to leave the grounds."

"I'm sorry." she repeated and curled into his warmth as the fear and terror suddenly crashed on her like a tidal wave.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" she repeated over and over again as more tears fell from her eyes. The impropriety of it no longer matter, she clung to him as tight as she could as her body crashed and all the fear finally took its toll on her.